Vacuum filling machine



s. a. ROAR VACUUM FILLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 vFiled Sept. 1, 1959 @vv 24- 3942., a :5. mm

VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1959 'r sheets sneat 2' 76 1/96 ow? l v/WP INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

NM 24; 1942. s. a, HQAR 2,302,693

VACUUM FILLING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 1, 1939 INVENTOR.

A TTORN E Y Nov. 24, 1942. s. B. HOAR VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1959 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

Jfedmcm 310M;

ATTORNEY.

' z mzms S. B. HOAR VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1939 '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 FlLLOFF e wam 5 $0M;

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Nam 24, 1942. s. B. HOAR 2,302,693

VACUUM FILLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 1, 1939 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

."Nbv, 24, 1942 s. B.- HOAR" 25,302,693 VACUUM FILLING MACHINE} Filed Sept. 1, 1939 'r sneet s-sheet r CONDlT'ION.

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J65 BY [17% W 99 :105 10.? 106 ATTORNEY;

Patented Nov. 24, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application September 1, 1939, Serial No. 293,099

Claims.

My invention relates to vacuum filling-machines, for filling liquids into cans under high vacuum.

In my United States Patent No. 2,070,302, issued February 7, 1937, I set forth the difliculties encountered in the prior art in filling a deaerated liquid into a container without reincorporating air in the liquid or wasting part of the liquid, and disclosed a valve action and a system of valve-reservoir connections which permitted the maintenance of balanced pressure within the container and the reservoir and thereby permitted filling uniformly and without reincorporation of air at any degree of vacuum capable of being attained by the vacuum-producing apparatus. But due to the fact that itexposes the exterior of the can to atmospheric pressure while exhausting the interior of the can to a very high degree, it is suitable only for use on cans small enough and/or strong enough to resist the pressuredifferential without collapsing.

With the popularity of canned juices ever increasing and with an increasing demand for the larger sizes of "containers, not only from hotels, hospitals and restaurants but for family use, it has become more important to devise efflcient means for filling large and collapsible containers without sacrificing the high degree of vacuum which is essential to quality of the product. In fact the problem relates not only to the filling of such liquids as juices but to syruping cans filled with solids or semi-solids. Various means have been employed but they represent largely a concession to the degree of vacuum employed, or else they are slow and of the type aptly termed vacuum hogs.

Attempts have been made to solve the problem by placing the container in a sealed chamber which can be exhausted to any degree desired, with equal pressures inside and outside of the can. This method has been long in use, with numerous machines devised to accomplish it. It presents, however, several difliculties. There is always some space between the container and the chamber wall which must be exhausted to the same high degree as the interior of the container. This is not a serious objection when low vacuum is used, but when it is necessary to exhaust very close to the boiling point of the liquid to prevent reaeration, this represents a great loss of time, pump capacity, and power. The importance of this loss will be realized when one considers that the time required, all other things being equal, to exhaust to a vacuum of 29" of mercury is more than double that required to exhaust to 28". Modern developments in vacuum filling of cans with deaerated liquid have shown that a vacuum of 28" is not nearly low enough, due to the danger of reaeration during filling at that pressure. So we must exhaust to 29". Yet every cubic inch of space that does not have to be exhausted to 29 represents a worthwhile saving of time, pump capacity, and

power.

Still another diillculty in such all-enclosing machines is that of procuring an automatic even fill. Premeasuring is impracticable, as it en- ,hances the opportunities for reaeration. A sealing-pad, within the chamber, for the top or the can, was also formerly supposed to be impracticable, due to the fact that the mechanism con-- nected therewith if within the chamber required the chamber to be large and hence diillcult to evacuate, or it outside the chamber had to operate through stufling-boxes which were a source of leakage. Furthermore the force employed to seal the pad set up a reaction tending to unseal the chamber.

In working with high vacuum, it is important not only to have the vacuum chamber as small as possible and to have all actuating and controlling apparatus outside of the chamber, but to have the construction as simple, frictionless, and leak-proof as possible. An amount of leakage insignificant at lower vacuum will rapidly change a high vacuum to a low vacuum.

It is accordingly the principal object of my present invention to provide a simple rugged machine for filling large cans in which only the interior o1 the'can itself is exhausted to high vacuum, and the outside of the can is exhausted I only to the degree necessary to prevent collapse of the can, thus saving a large part of the loa on the exhausting means.

Another object is to make the moderate 'exhaustion oi the space around the can a preliminary step to the high exhaustion of the interior of the can so that during the latter stage the entire capacity of the exhausting means can be most effectively applied.

A further object is to provide means whereby the exhaustion of the vacuum chamber outside of the container may be regulated to the proper degree.

Still another object is, by exhausting the outer chamber to only a moderate degree, to make practicable the use of a chamber-large enough to permit the use or automatic can-placing and canremoving equipment.

Another object is to provide a double seal between the highly exhausted interior of the can and the outside atmosphere, with an intervening space between seals exhausted to an intermediate degree so that the pressure differential across either seal is moderate and the tendency to leakage thereby lessened.

Still another object is to make use of atmospheric pressure as the force to seal the can, rather than to use apparatus whose presence within the vacuum chamber would increase the space to be exhausted; and to utilize this force in such a way that it does not set up a reaction tending to unseal the chamber.

A further object is to provide means for transmitting power, such as the atmospheric pressure mentioned above, into and out of a vacuum chamher in a leak-proof and nearly frictionless manner that will eliminate the conventional stuffing box.

Another object is not only to provide a no-can no-fill mechanism which is common in most modern filling machines but to provide a no-vacuum no-fill mechanism whereby, if optimum condi-- tions of vacuum can not for any reason be obtained in the vacuum chamber, the can will not be filled and no product will be spoiled by reaeration.

the valve positioning mechanism and no-vacuum no-fill control.

Figure 14 is an alternative arrangement of a part of Figure 6. All portions of Figure 6 not shown in Figure 14, and all portions of Figure 14 numbered the same as in Figure 6 are to be assumed to be the same as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 15 is a reproduction of a portion of Figure 14, to illustrate a slight variant thereof, partly diagrammatic.

Beginning with Figure 2, we see that is a base carrying an annular cam-rail 2|. 22 is the main drive-shaft from a motor or other drivi means (not shown). By means of bevel gears 23 and 24, this shaft transmits its rotation to a vertical shaft which supports and turns the My invention consists in the novel parts and in the combination and arrangement thereof defined in the appended claims.

These parts could be combined in a single head filler or in a multiple head straight-line filler or in other forms with suitable motivating means, but are herein described as combined in a multipie-head rotary filler, but with no intention of limiting the invention to combination in that type.

Throughout the following description the same reference number is applied to thesame member or similar members.

Figure l is a plan view of my rotary-type multipie-head filling machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of my machine, partly also in elevation, taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of one of the double pedestals and its lift rod of my machine.

Figure 4 is a vertical section of one of the pedestal lift rod levers and its adjustable pivot.

Figure 5 is a cross section of one of the pedestal sealing wells taken along line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the valves shown solid in Figure 2, taken along the line 6--6 of Figure 8. Although the valve itself is shown in the filling position, the valvepositioning means shown in connection with it is shown, for greater clarity, in an intermediate position, i. e., the' position it would have at the instant exhaustion of the filling chamber begins.

Figure '7 is a horizontal section of this valve taken along line 1--1 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a horizontal section of this valve taken along line 8--8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a diagrammatic representation of the three successive positions of both levels of my valve, throughout the cycle of operation of my machine.

Figure 10 is a vertical section of one of the pressure-regulators which regulates the pressure in the vacuum chambers.

Figure 11 is a frontal view of part of the pressure-regulator shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a side elevation of the valve positioning mechanism and no-vacuum no fi l oon-= trol shown at B on Figure 1.

Figure 13 is a diagrammatic lower table 28 and the upper table 21, both of which are keyed to the shaft 25. By means of bevel gears 28 and 29, shaft 22 also drives vertical shaft 30 to the head of which is afllxed a. transfer lever 3| for transferring cans to the cantable or conveyor disc 32 from the machine. A similar transfer lever (not shown) may be similarly driven to feed cans into the machine. Such transfer devices, being well known in the art and not forming per se any part of my present invention, are only suggested and conventionally described; any mechanic familiar with the art will understand their placement and timing. The same is true of the can-table or conveyor disc.

Upper table 21 supports centrally, on brackets 33, a reservoir 34, and also around its edge a plurality of valve-mechanisms 35 (of which the machine now described carries seven) each carrying a sealing-pad 36 within a depending vacuumchamber 31.

On lower table 28 there are a plurality of bearings 38, one corresponding to each of the valve mechanisms 35 and set vertically below it. Alternating with the seven bearings 38 are seven similar bearings 39, whose positions are best shown in Figure 1. Through each of the bearings 38 there reciprocates vertically a liftrod 40; and in each of the bearings 39 is fastened a pivot-supporting rod 4|, carrying a lift-rod lever 42, also connected to an adjacent lift-rod 40, and equipped with a roller 43 which runs upon cam-rail 2| and at appropriate times raises the lift-rod 40, as will be more fully described later in connection with Figure 4. Each lift-rod 40 supports a lower, or sealing, pedestal 44, which in turn carries an upper, or can-supporting pedestal 45, as will be more fully described later in connection with Figures 3 and 5.

Except between the two curved arrows of Figure l, which indicate the ingress of an empty can to the filler and the egress of a filled can therefrom (as by transfer lever 3|), the cam rail 2| is of sufficient height to hold the lower pedestal 44 in seal-contact with its corresponding vacuum chamber 31.

Turning now to Figure 4, we see that pivotsupporting rod 4| is held from turning in bearing 39 by a key 46 which slides in key-way 48a. Into rod 4| is threaded a bolt 41, which ,has a narrow unthreadedr portion at its upper end surrounded by a split collar 48. Collar 48 is held in bearing 39 by set-screws 49 which for greater security may be set into a groove 50 of the collar. Rod 4| is forked at its lower end and through the forks it carries bearing 5| upon which and between the forks is mounted liftrod lever 42. It will be seen that by turning bolt 41, the vertical position of bearing 5| may be changed without changing its angular relation to the frame of the machine by reason of key 46.

Lift rod lever 42 has a cam-slot 52 which encloses a roller 53, carried by the forked lower end of the lift rod 40, between the forks of which lift rod lever 42 also passes. Roller 53 may be heldin place by cotter pins 54 as best shown in Figure 3.

From Figure 3 we also see that lift rod 49 is hollowed through its upper portion to receive the lower end of lower pedestal 44, and a spring 55. The lower end of pedestal 44 is pierced for a pin 56, and lift rod 40 is slotted with slots 51 to receive the ends of pin 56. Pedestal 44 has a surface plate 58 which carries a gasket 59, and a central body 60, and is so mounted in lift rod 40 that when spring 55 holds pin 66 against the top of slots 51, the lower face of body 6|! is slightly above the top of lift rod 40. This allows a degree of resiliency when lift rod 40 raises pedestal 44 so that gasket 59 is in sealing contact with the bottom of vacuum chamber 31,

but spring 55 should be strong enough to maintain pin 56 against the top of slots 51 at all other times, to insure that, if movement of the lift rod is adjusted with reasonable accuracy, the gasket will be forced against the vacuum chamber.

It will be seen that the amount of movement given to the lift rod depends not only upon the height of cam-rail 2|, but upon the adjustment of the height of bearing 5| by means of bolt 41. A distance-screw 8| in the lower face of pedestal body 66 is adjusted to bear on the top of boss 38 when the pedestal is lowered, thus regulating the height of the pedestal with relation to the can-conveyor 32 for the easy transfer of cans. As this screw 6! limits the drop of the pedestal, and consequently of the lift rod and lift rod lever, the roller 43 may leave track 2| and hang above it during its travel throu h the space delimited by the curved arrows in Fi ure 1. From Figure 4 it is evident that, when lift rod lever 42 and lift rod 40 are in the raised position, roller 63 is towards the end of cam slot 62 nearest pivot supporting rod 4|. If pivot supporting rod 4| is raised above the position shown in Figure 4, a shorter stroke is obtained on lift' rod 48; and conversely. if it is lowered below the position shown, a longer stroke is obtained; always provided that screw BI is adjusted to allow a longer or shorter drop.

Referring now to Figure 3 and to Figure 5, we see that head 60 of pedestal 44 has a pressure cylinder 62, not necessarily cylindrical, hollowed in its center, with a port 63 open from the bottom of the cylinder to the atmosphere, the cylinder being wider in its upper portion than in its lower portion. A smooth sleeve 6 is fitted tight into theupper portion of the cylinder, extending slightly above the upper surface of plate 58. A tube 65 is threaded into the narrower lower portion of the cylinder extending upwardl to slightly below the upper surface of plate 58. A stop-cock 66 is suspended from plate 58 b a nipple 81, on the side of plate 58 which is outermost as the machine revolves, and with the nipple passing through plate 58 at a point slightly inside gasket 59. The stop-cock shaft 88, extending outwardly, carries a" two-armed 4 handle 69, the arms being set at right angles to each other so that one is always vertical if the other is horizontal. Suitable pins 10, supported by elements (not shown) connected with the non-revolving base, and positioned to contact handle 69 just before roller 43 startsdown 7 the incline of cam rail 2i and. again just before it starts up the following incline, serve to open and close stop-cock 66.

Sleeve 64 supports, in the manner hereinafter described, can-pedestal 45 which consists of a round plate H and a hollow piston 12, the latter being ground to a slide fit with sleeve 64. Thus piston 12 slides up and down in sleeve 64, and plate II when in its lowered position rests on the top of sleeve 64. Plate H is perforated near its inner edge by a hole 13, through which is loosely fitted a bolt 14 threaded into plate 58. The head of this bolt I4 serves as a stop-guide to cans placed upon plate I l, and to limit the lift of pedestal 45 in relation to pedestal 44, as will be later more fully described.

The annular space between tube 65 and sleeve 64 is in operation filled nearly to the top of tube 65 with alight lubricating oil, or other sealing liquid, for example mercury. As sleeve 64 and piston 12 are closely fitted. this liquid serves not only to lubricate them but also to act as a seal between them. It would be no departure from my invention to have piston I2 flt tube 65 instead of sleeve 64; compare elements I I2 and H4, hereinafter discussed. But its highly preferable to have the sealing liquid lie on the pressure side of the slip fit. v

The upper edge of sleeve 64, extending above the surface of plate 58, serves as a support for can-pedestal 45 and also to prevent any liquid which may be spilled in filling operations from penetrating between sleeve 64 and piston 72 and from thus contaminating or diluting the oil seal. To secure drainage of spilled liquid, the

' upper surface of plate 58 may be bevelled towards its periphery as shown in Figure 3.

For the detail of a valve mechanism 35, turn not; to Figures 6, '7, 8 and 9. Beginning with Figure 6, valve mechanism 35 is housed in housing I5 which consists in a central vertical cylindrical portion which houses the valve itself and three semi-cylindrical vertical bosses spaced apart and housing part of the valve-positioning mechanism to be described later, all mounted on a base plate which may be cast integrally with the rest of the housing. The base plate of housing 15 has an annual shoulder I6, by which it is supported by upper table 21, the central portion of the base plate extending downward through upper table 21 and carrying near'its periphery a gasket 11. Bolts 18 passing through the base .plate outside of gasket l1 serve to clamp the sealing pad 36, and may be made of glass if it is desired to observe the operations within it, or of any other suitable material. In the particular embodiment illustrated, it has a smooth lower edge to contact gasket 59 on'sealing pedestal 44, and as above stated an upper flange to contact gasket 11 and to secure it to the rest of the mechanism.

The central cylindrical part of valve housing 15 is vertically bored, the lower part of the bore being tapered to receive valve-sleeve 86 and being threaded to receive annular ring 8|, which secures valve-sleeve 89 in place, and also as will be explained later, acts as a sealing ring 'against pad 36. The upper part of; the bore is threaded to receive annular ring 82 which through spring 8I and washer 84 holds valve 85 in firm contact with valve-sleeve 80.

Valve 85 has a vertical cylindrical portion 86 above the conical portion 81 and forming a shoulder with it, so that when the valve is firmly seated in valve-sleeve 80, the upper surfaces of the valvesleeve and of the shoulder of the conical portion of the valve are approximately at the same level. The annular space bounded by these level surfaces, the vertical cylindrical portion of the valve, washer 84, and housing I is filled with a packing ring 88 of grease-soaked felt, leather or other suitable material. The annular space around spring 83 may also be packed with heavy grease.

Valve 85 is mounted on valve stem 89 by means of threaded portion 90. Valve stem 89 is fitted with a grease cup 9I (Figures 2 and 12) at its upper end and is traversed throughout its length by a grease-passage 92, which opens into a small recess 93 in valve 85. grease rings 94, connected with recess 93 by suitable passages 95 and located above, between, and below the port levels of the valve to prevent leak age as well as to lubricate.

The ports of valve 05, valve sleeve 80, and valve housing I5, are in general similar to those described in my Patent No. 2,070,302. Hole 96 in sleeve 80 is for the admission of liquid, and hole 91 is for the extraction of air, 1. e., is the vacuum line. Although I have shown both the liquid line and the vacuum line as running from the reservoir to the valve, as in Figure 2 of my said earlier patent, any one of the variant pipings of Figures 7 to 10 of that patent might equally well be used.

Hole 98 is an auxiliary hole, connecting with the vacuum system.

The valve has a vertical port 99 which may be located a little off its axis, and connecting therewith a horizontal hole I00 to contact selectively liquid hole 96 and vacuum hole 91.

The valve also has another and smaller vertical port I0 I, set off center, and connecting therewith a small horizontal hole I02, to contact, i appropriate positions, auxiliary vacuum hole 98 In operation, the valve is turned through three successive positions and around to the first one again as illustrated in Figure 9. In position 1, the large hole I00 is blanked, so that there is no connection either to hole 96 (liquid) or to hole 91 (vacuum). Auxiliary hole I02 is also blanked, being two-thirds of a turn (in direction of rotation) from its outlet hole 98.

In position 2, hole I00 is in line with hole 91, so as to exhaust the vacuum chamber 31; and hole I 02 remains blanked one-third of a turn from its outlet.

In position 3, also illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, hole I00 is in line with hole 96, for the admission of liquid; and hole I02 is in line with its outlet hole 98, for the exhaustion of residual air while the-can is filling.

The valve then turns to position one, and the stop-cock 66 is turned to open, simultaneously with this movement (or fractions-11y later), to admit air to the vacuum chamber. When the valve turns to position 2 again, stop-cock 66 is closed include the air connection of the valve in my Patent No. 2,070,302, its place being taken by Valve 85 bears annular stop-cock in sealing pedestal 44. I have found this arrangement to be preferable with the present type of machine as it is of primary importance to release the vacuum in the vacuum chamber outside of the can, after which the filled can with sealing pad and attendant mechanism will fall by its own weight. However, if it be desired to accomplish the whole operation by a simple valve instead of by a valve and a stop-cock, it is perfectly possible to do so as is shown in the alternative valve construction in Figure 14.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9 there is only one opening, i. e., hole 98, through sleeve at the lower level of the valve. It will also be seen that in position 1, hole I02, connecting with port IN, is blanked below hole 91, the main vacuum connection. If now an opening I08 (Figure 14) is drilled in sleeve 80 and valve housing I5 below hole 91 at the level of hole I02, hole I02 will connect with it in position 1 and admit air through port IOI into the can. It is necessary, however, to release the vacuum outside the can in the vacuum chamber at least simultaneously with the release of the vacuum in the can, to prevent liquid from being blown from the top of the filled can. This is accomplished by drilling a hole I04 directly below hole I02 and parallel with it, and connecting passages I05 and I06 through sleeve 80 and housing I5 respectively, also directly below hole 91, with passage I06 opening through the base of housing I5 outside of annular sealing ring 8| but inside of gasket 11. Thus in position 1, there is an air connection through port I M into the can and through passage I06 to the vacuum chamber outside of the can, all other connecting ports and holes of the valve being blanked.

Similarly, as by passage I06, it would be possible to exhaust the chamber other than through that portion of the filling head which seals to the can. Thus the can could be sealed to the filling head from the very start of the exhausting, and passage I06 could be closed when the vacuumizing had progressed to a predetermined degree. This could be accomplished by a small side passage I55, from port 99, connecting withpassage I05, when the valve is in position 2, all as shown in Figure 15, in which figure passage I05 because of its slightly changed shape and functions is renumbered to be I05. A pressure shut-off valve symbolically represented by V, connects passage I05 to passage I06 (renumbered as I06 in Figure 15) until the pressure in the chamber is about half an atmosphere, whereupon it shuts off. Inasmuch as such valves form an article of commerce, and the details thereof constitute no part of my invention, the details are not shown.

Returning now to Figure 6, we see that sealing pad 36 comprises a metal core I01. with upper and lower surfaces of a resilient sealing material, and with a central opening I08. The lower surface of pad 36 is adapted to seal againstthe up per end of a can and the upper surface of the pad is adapted to seal against sealing ring 8|. When both surfaces are so functioning, valve 89 connects with the can through the central opening I08, and is sealed oil! from the rest of the vacuum chamber, unless the alternative system of passages I03, I04, I05 and I06 is used and then only when the valve is in position 1.

A spider I09 is suspended in the central opening I08 by an annular lip and from it is suspended (not shown) a displacer of suitable size and shape. This displacer should be in volume equal to the volume of port 99 and hole I and the unfilled part of central opening I08 plus the volume of head-space which it is desired to leave in the can, thus allowing the liquid to drain from the above passages and not over-fill the can when the displacer is removed.

Pad 31 is suspended in three places by liftrods III) which may be screwed into metal core I01, and which extend upward into the semicyllndrical bosses previously referred to as forming part of valve housing 15. Each of these bosses has a central well III into which is fitted the larger lower end of hollow plug H2, the upper end of which is smaller to allow for an annular space between it and the wall of the well. The plug is flanged at its lower end and held in place by threaded ring H3. Piston H4 fits around plug H2 with a sliding fit, not completely filling the annular space between plug H2 and the wall of the well. Into its upper end is threaded the lower end of extension rod H5. A cap H6 forms the upper end of lift rod H and is so proportioned as not to pass through the hollow center of plug H2 and yet to allow considerable freedom of motion within the walls of piston H4. Cap H6 may conveniently be slotted to assist in assembling lift rod H0 with metal core I01.

The annular space in well III is filled with a light oil, or other sealing liquid, for example mercury, which may be supplied from cup H1.

It will be seen that by the above-described combination of parts, motion of pad 36 is transmitted to extension rods H5 without binding or friction other than that between lubricated surfaces of plug H2 and piston II4. Lift rod H0 may play loosely within plug H2, butwill exert a positive upward push against piston H4 and thus to extension rod H5. Downward motion is provided for by the weight of the above mentioned moving parts and others connected to them, and

by vacuum suction exerted on the inside of piston H4, and at a crucial moment by a cam and spring action, to be presently described.

At the sam'e time, the oil seal between plug H2 and piston H4 prevents any leakage of air.

The function of lift rods H6 and extension rods H5 is to place in operating position the mechanism for positioning valve 85, and also to transmit the regulating force which controls the differential of pressure inside and outside of the can in vacuum chamber 31 and thus position the valve for filling or not filling. The importance of having these rods move with the minimum of friction will be at once realized.

, Extension rods H5 are passed loosely through a plate H8, which may be adjusted for elevation upon them by nuts I IS. A split collar I20, bolted to plate H8 by bolts I2I, extends over the lower III and extension rods H5, cause the star-wheel to lift from the position indicated by the lower line of Figure 13 to the position indicated by the middle line of that figure. Vertical pins I26 at position A then contact the star-wheel and turn it from position 1 to position 2 of Figure 9: i. e.,

so that the valve is in position to exhaust .the

vacuum chamber.

Similarly, when the vacuum chamber reaches a suitable stage of exhaustion, can-pedestal 45 is raised by atmospheric pressure under it and, causes the can, through the above described linkage, to lift the star-wheel to the position indicated by the top line of Figure 13. By a proper adjustment of weight of the parts, spring I38, capacity of vacuum pump, speed of rotation of the table, and location of the various sets of vertical pins, the degree of exhaustion of the chamher at this stage, and the degree of subsequent exhaustion of the container, can be readily ad- ,justed. Vertical pins I26 at position B then turn the valve to position 3 of Figure 9: i. e., so that the valve is in filling position.

But if insufficient vacuum exists in the filling chamber to cause the can pedestal to be raised,

the star-wheel remains on the level indicated bythe middle line of Figure 13 and contacts horizontal pins I28, which operate on the reverse side of the star to turn the valve back to the neutral position 1 of Figure 9.

Otherwise the star proceeds on the top level of Figure 13 to vertical pins I21 at position C which turn it again to complete the cycle, returning it to position 1 of Figure 9.

If no can was present in the vacuum chamber, there would be no lift of the star-wheel, and the valve would remain in position I of Figure 9 during the full revolution of the machine.

Turning now to Figures 10 and 11, we see the device which regulates the degree of vacuum to be obtained in the vacuum chamber before the star wheel will lift to contact vertical pins I26.

A pair of rollers I29 are mounted in a forked bearing I30 bolted to star-wheel I22 and turn: ing with it and with the valve-stem 89. To avoid interference by these parts with pins I25, I26

' and I21, these parts are mounted on a point of flange of star-wheel I22, holdingit from vertical movement with relation to plate I I8 but allowing it horizontal angular movement. Star-wheel I22 is keyed by key I23 to valve stem 89. Rotation of the star-wheel thereby causes the valve stem and valve to rotate, while plate H8 remains held stationary by extension rods II 5.

Turning to Figures 1 and 2, we see that a ring I24 which does not revolve with the tables but is fastened to the base of the machine, supports successive pairs of vertical pins I25, I26 and I21,

. at positions marked A, B, and C on Figure 1, and

at B also supports a pair of horizontal pins I23, in the manner best shown in Figure 12. If a can is placed on one of the pedestals, then as the 1 tables revolve counter-clockwise cam-rail 2I will, through the means already described, cause the top of the can to contact and raise sealing Dad 36, and thus through the action of the -li-ft"rods the star which never points radially outward during the cycle. A hollow cylinder I3I is supported by strap I32 which in turn is supported by valve stem 69, being adjustable in height by nuts I33. Cylinder I3I is forked at its lower end and bears, across the fork, pivot I34 on which is mounted cam I35. Cam I35 has a lever arm which passes with suflicient clearance to allow angular movement between rollers I29. Sliding within the cylinder I3I is a piston I36, also forked and carrying cam-roller I31. Cam-roller I3! is held in contact with cam I35 by spring I36, the tension of which is adjustable by bolt I39.

It will be seen that by manipulation of bolt I39 greater or less resistance can be made to the turning of cam I35, and consequently to the lift of the star-wheel I22 and through intervening linkage to the sealing pad 36. The cam is so cut and so positioned vertically by nuts I33, that the compression stroke is completed just before sealing pad 36 makes sealing contact with sealing ring 8|. Thereafter the cam is free to turn on its outer circle I54, and the pad is able to make and hold sealing contact with the ring with no further spring tension.

Similarly on the release stroke, the pad, linkage and star-wheel start downward by gravity, but almost immediately the cam-roller passes over the shoulder I53 of the cam and exerts a downward pressure through'the star-wheel and linkage to the pad. This is a useful feature because by keeping the pad in firm contact with the top of the can, spillage is avoided while the displacer is being withdrawn from the can and headspace is being created.

To achieve the best results, the inside diameter of piston 12 of can pedestal 45 should be as large as is conveniently possible, and the weight of the parts lifted by the lifting action of can'pedestal 45 should be as little as conveniently possible. The lifting force is the pressure differential on the roof of the hollow piston 12, and consequently a larger area gives larger force. The force is resisted by the weight of the parts lifted, the friction of those parts (which is reduced to a minimum by the use of oil-sealing self-aligning sealing devices) and the compression of spring I38. It is desirable to have as large a pa rt"of the resistance as possible under the control of the adjustment of the compression on spring I38; by that means the total pressure remaining .in vacuum chamber 31 when that chamber is cut 011 from further exhaustion may be accurately adjusted to the maximum which will permit a very high vacuum to be drawn within the can without causing the can to collapse or panel, thus saving the exhausting means from unnecessary load.

Returning again to Figure 2, we shall consider the reservoir 34, and its connections, which are the same as those in my Patent No. 2,070,302. Pipe I48, which does not revolve, enters the top of reservoir through stufflng-box I; it leads toa vacuum pump (not shown). Pipe I42 which also does not revolve enters the top of the reservoir through stuffing box I43; it leads from a source of liquid (not shown). 4

A float I44, controlling the main liquid valve.

I35 through linkage I48, maintains the liquid at a'constant level in the reservoir.

From the top of the reservoir 34, a vacuum pipe Ml leads to vacuum hole 81 of each valve mechanism 35.

From the bottom of the reservoir 34, a liquid pipe 8 leads to liquid hole 96 of each valve mechanism 35. j

From the upper part of each vacuum pipe I41,

an auxiliary vacuum pipe M3 leads to the aux iliary vacuum hole 38 of the corresponding valve mechanism For diagrammatic simplicity, liquid pipe M8 is shown in. Figure 2 as entering the valve mechanism 35 below pipes Hi and M3, instead of at the same level as pipe M1 and above pipe 843 as it actually does. Compare Figure 6.

To understand how my machine operates, let us assume that a pedestal is at the point where the transfer lever (not shown) feeds cans onto the pedestal. The sealing pedestal id is resting on distance-screw 6i, with roller 33 on the low part of cam-rail 2i or even suspended above it. The outer edge of sealing pedestal id is below can-table and can-pedestal 35, which is resting on the rim of sleeve M, is exactly level with table 32 to facilitate the transfer of cans. Stop cock 36 is open. Valve 85 is at position 1 of Figure 9. Sealing pad 36 is at its lowest position (i. e., cap lit of lift rod no is resting on the upper rim of plug H2) and consequently the starwheel i2? is at its lowestpoint and cam-roller i3? is resting on the innericircle I58 of cam 53!.

A can is fed into can-pedestal 45 and rotation of the machine begins (or continues). Stop-cock handle 59 is contacted by pin 18, closing stop cook 36. Roller 43 contacts the risingincline of and lift-rod 48 causes sealing pedestal 44 to lift to make a sealing contact between gasket 88 and vacuum chamber 31, spring 58 being slightly compressed by the pressure of sealing. At the same time, the top of the can contacts sealing pad 36 and lifts it slightly, raising star-wheel I22 to its intermediate position. Cam I35is thereby turned until cam-roller I31 is just at the foot I5I of the incline I52 on cam I35.

A further short rotation of the machine brings star-wheel I22 in contact with pins I25 at position A, causing the valve to rotate to position 2. Exhaustion of the sealed vacuum chamber 31 then begins.

When the difference of outside and inside pressure on can-pedestal 45 is suflicient to overcome the weight of the various parts to be lifted and the pressure of spring I38, can-pedestal 45 will lift and, acting through the can, will lift sealing pad 36 and the star-wheel I22, and will cause cam I35 to rotate against the pressure of spring I38. Just before the upper side of sealing pad 36 contacts sealing ring 8|, cam-roller I31 reaches the outer shoulder I53 of the cam-incline and rolls out on the outer circle I54 of the cam, thus cooking the spring so that its pressure no longer resists rotation of the cam; this permits a quick and firm seal between sealing-pad 36 and sealing-ring 8I. The last part of this lifting motion places star-wheel I22 in its top position.

The inside of the can is now sealed from the rest of vacuum chamber 31, and exhaustion continues only within the can.

Rotation of the machine now brings the sta tion in question to position B. The timing of the machine is such as to allow time between position A and position B for the entire vacuum chamber 31 to be exhausted to the desired pressure, governed by spring I38, and for the pressure inside of the canto be brought to equalization with that in reservoir 34.

At position B, the star-wheel I22, being at its highest level, contacts pins I28, causing the valve 85 to turn to position 3. The can then fills, aided by continued exhaustion within the can only through auxiliary vacuum port IIII and its connections.

If the pressure differential on can-pedestal 48 is insufliclent to cause it to lift, star-wheel I22 at positionB contacts pins I28, instead of pins I26, and the valve 85 is turned back to neutral position 1.

Further rotation of the machine now brings the fully-raised star-wheel I22 to position C where it contacts pins I21 and turns the valve 85 to position 1, completing its cycle. At the same time stop-cock handle 69 is contacted by the second pin 10, causing stop-cock handle 69 to open and release the vacuum in vacuum chamber 31. The pressure on both sides of can-pedestal 45 being equalized, can-pedestal 43 drops to rest against sleeve 64. As the can is now filled with liquid n be dispensed with, and spring I38 be arranged to bear directly on the lever arm portion of cam I35, and although theoretically this might seem preferable, I have found in practice that they It will be seen that if it is not desired to fill the can full and a measuring device is inserted between reservoir 34 and valve mechanism 35' (as might be desirable in syruping operations), the userof the alternative vacuum-breaking system of passages I03, I04, I05 and M6 presents a method of breaking the still-existing vacuum within the can and permitting it to break away from pad 35.

Roller 43 now reaches the downward incline of cam-rail 2|, permitting sealing pedestal 44 to break contact with vacuum chamber 31, and both pedestals drop together in time for sealing pedestal 44 to pass under the edge 01' can-table 32.

The filled can is now removed by transfer lever 3| and the machine moves on to the position occupied at the beginning of the herein described cycle.

For further description of any parts or functions more fully described in my Patent No. 2,070,302, I refer to that patent.

Having now described and illustrated one form of my invention, I wish it understood that my invention is not limited to the specific arrangement of parts hereinbefore described, or even to the variants suggested, except insofar as such limitations are specified in the appended claims.

In the claims, whenever I mention valve means capable of performing several functions, I wish it understood that I contemplate indiscriminately a single valve or a plurality of valves. Whenever I mention a valve means position as performing several functions, I wish it understood that these functions need not be performed with exact simultaneity. In the process claims, steps are not to be construed as necessarily successive, unless coupled by the word then.

I claim:

1. Inthe process of filling a container with liquid, the steps which consist in: placing the container .within a vacuum chamber, so contrived and arranged that it is possible therein to exhaust the chamber and the contain'er separately to difierent degrees of vacuum; temporarily sealing the chamber from the atmosphere, and the container from the chamber; exhausting the chamber to a desired degree of vacuum, but no further, and exhausting the container to a higher degree of vacuum than the chamber; and then admitting the liquid to the container; whereby there is avoided on the one hand wastthe other hand subjecting the container to a crushing external pressure when exhausted.

3. A gas-seal between two vertically relatively reciprocating elements, consisting of: an annular well, defined by an inner wall and an outer wall,

and carried bythe lower of the two elements, to contain a sealing liquid; and a piston, carriedv by the upper of the two elements, and projecting into the well, and having a close slip fit with a 10 wall of the well below the level of the top'of the other wall thereof. 4. A gasketless gas-pressure cylinder and piston assembly, consisting of: avertical pressure cylinder, open at the top; an element extending upwardly within the cylinder from the bottom portion thereof, so as to form an annular well between these two elements to contain a sealing liquid; a hollow piston, open at the bottom, and having a close slip fit with one oi the first two mentioned elements below the level of the top of the other of said two elements; and means for admitting the actuating gas into the space .between said other element and the piston.

5. In a machine for filling liquid into containers, the combination of: exhausting means; a liquid reservoirggia vacuum chamber; a filling head within the chamber; means for sealing the chamber; valve means for connecting the exhausting means and the reservoir to the filling 0 head and the chamber, and for connecting the chamber to the atmosphere, said valve means having three positions, namely: (1) vacuum and liquid off, chamber open to atmosphere, (2) vac uum on, liquid off, chamber closed to atmosphere, and (3) a acuum and liquid on, chamber closed to atmosphere; means actuable through the body of a container sealed within the chamher to change from position ,1 to position 2; pressure responsive means, responsive to the attain- 40 ment of a predetermined degree of vacuum within the chamber for then sealing the filling head to the container; means to then change from position 2 to position 3; means to then change from position 3 to position 1; means, operating alternatively to the last three mentioned means,

position 1 in either oi. the above two alternative manners, to then unseal the chamber, to permit the removal of the container.

/ 6. In a machine for filling liquid into containers, the combination of: exhausting means; a

liquid reservoir; a vacuum chamber; a filling ing pump capacity by exhausting the chamber to the same extent as the container, and on the other hand subjecting the container to a crushing extern'abpressure when exhausted.

2. In the process of filling in vacuo a container susceptible to injury by excessive external airpressure, the steps which consist in: placing the container in a vacuum chamber; then temporarily sealing the chamber from the atmosphere; then exhausting the chamber to a pressure at which the container will be protected from injury when the interior of the container is subsequently further exhausted to a desired lower pressure; then temporarily sealing the interior oi. the container from the chamber; then continuing to exhaust the container alone to the desired lower pressure; and then filling the container; whereby there is avoided on the one hand wasting pump capacity by exhausting the chamber to the same extent as the container, and on head within the chamber; means for closing the tainer within the chamber for placing said connecting means in operating position; pressurev respensive means, responsive to the attainment of a predetermined degree of vacuum within the chamber for then sealing the filling head to the 5 container, and for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber; means for thenconnecting the filling head to the reservoir; means for then closing the filling head and for opening the, chamber to the atmosphere; and means for thenv unsealing the chamber.

7 chamber from the atmosphere; means for conliquid reservoir; a vacuum chamber; a filling head within the chamber; means for closing the necting the chamber to the exhausting means; means actuable through the body of a container within the chamber for placing said connecting means in operating position; means, comprising a can pedestal actuated by atmospheric pressure, acting against a predetermined resistance, for then sealing the filling head to the container, when the vacuum in the chamber has attained a predetermined degree, and for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber; means for then connecting the filling head to the reservoir, continuing the exhausting of the container to compensate for the admission of liquid; and means for then closing the filling head and for opening the chamber to the atmosphere, thereby permitting gravity to unseal the chamber.

8} In the vacuum chamber assembly of a machine for filling liquid into containers, the combination of: the chamber proper; a seal for the chamber proper; means to raise this seal into contact with the chamber proper; a can pedestal carried by the seal, and vertically reciprocable with respect thereto; means whereby atmospheric pressure tends to raise the can pedestal and a container carried thereby, without thereby tending to unseal the chamber; a filling head in the top of the chamber, having ports for the exhausting of air and the admission of liquid; a sealing pad, floating between this head and the position of the top of the container; and means for controlling within a predetermined range the degree of vacuum within the chamber at which the can pedestal and the container thereon will raise this pad into sealing bination of: the chamber proper; a seal for the chamber proper; a filling head within the chamber; means for exhausting the air from the chamber and from a container within the chamber; and means for then sealing the container to the filling head, whereby further exhaustion is restricted to the container alone.

10. In the vacuum chamber assembly of a machine for filling liquid into containers, the combination of: the chamber proper; means to seal the chamber proper; a can pedestal in the cham-' ber, vertically reciprocable with respect thereto; means whereby atmospheric pressure tends to raise the can pedestal and a container carried thereby; a filling head in the top of the chamber, having ports for the exhaustion of air and the admission of the liquid; a sealing pad, floating between this head and the position of the top of the container; and means for controlling within a predetermined range the degree ofvacuum within the chamber at which the can pedestal and the container thereon will raise this pad into sealing position, said means serving also to hold the pad against the top of the container during part of the descent of the container.

11. In a machine for filling liquid into containers, the combination of exhausting means; a liquid reservoir; a vacuum chamber; a filling head within the chamber valve means connecting the exhausting means and the reservoir to the filling head and the chamber, said valve means having three positions, namely: (1) vac- .uum and liquid oil, (2) vacuum on and liquid oil, and (3) vacuum off and liquid on; means progressively carrying containers through the machine; valve control means, having three zones, the first of which is inert to affect any control; means, responsive to the presence of a container in the chamber and its progress a short distance through the cycle, to shift the control means to the second zone; means thereafter encountered in the second zone to actuate the control means to turn the valve means to position 2; means, responsive to a predetermined degree of vacuum within the chamber to then cut off the chamber from further exhausting, while still leaving the container susceptible to further exhausting, and to shift the control means to the third zone; means thereafter encountered in the third zone, to actuate the control means to turn the valve means to position 3; substantially contemporaneous means in the second zone to actuate the control means to turn the valve means to position 1; and means thereafter encountered in the third zone to actuate the control means to turn the valve means to position 1.

12. In the vacuum chamber assembly of a machine for filling liquid into containers, the combination of: the chamber proper; a seal for the chamber proper; means to raise this seal into contact with the chamber proper; a can pedestal carried by the seal, and vertically reciprocable with respect thereto; a filling head in the top of the chamber; and means, responsive to atmospheric pressure, to raise the can pedestal, so as to seal a container, carried thereby, against the filling head, without thereby tending to unseal the chamber.

13. in a machine for filling containers in vacuo, the combination of: a vacuum chamber; means for sealing the chamber; means for partially exhausting the chamber and a container within it; means for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber, while still maintaining the container connected to the exhausting means; and means, actuated by atmospheric pressure outside the chamber, for bringing the last-mentioned sealing means into sealing position.

14. In a machine for filling containers in vacuo, the combination of: a vacuum chamber; means for sealing the chamber; means for partially exhausting the chamber and a container within it; means for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber, while still maintaining the container connected to the exhausting means; and means, actuated by atmospheric pressure outside the chamber, for bringing the last-mentioned sealing means into sealing position; and means for controlling within a predetermined range the degree of vacuum within the chamber at which said atmospheric pressure actuated means will bring said sealing means into sealing position.

15'. In a machine for filling containers in vacuo, the combination of: a vacuum chamber; means for sealing the chamber; means for partially exhausting the chamber and a container within it; means for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber, while still maintaining the container connected to the exhausting means; means, actuated by atmospheric pressure outside the chamber, for bringing the last-mentioned sealing means into sealing position; means for controlling within a predetermined range the degree of vacuum within the chamber at which said atmospheric pressure actuated means will bring said sealing means into sealing position; and means, at a certain later stage of the cycle and actuable only if the last mentioned sealing means are out of sealing position, to disconnect the exhausting means.

16. In a machine for filling liquids into a contamer, the combination of: a vacuum chamber; means for sealing the chamber; means for partially exhausting the chamber and a container within it; means for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber, while still maintaining the container connected to the exhausting means; means, actuated by atmospheric pressure outside the chamber, for bringing the last-mentioned sealing means into sealing position; means for controlling within a predetermined range the degree of vacuum within the chamber at which said atmospheric pressure actuated means will bring said sealing means into sealing position; a liquid reservoir; valve means connecting the reservoir to the container; and means, at a certain stage of the cycle and actuable only when the last mentioned sealing means are in sealing position, to operate said valve means.

17. In a machine for filling liquids into a contamer, the combination of: a vacuum chamber; means for sealing the chamber; means for partially exhausting the chamber and a container within it; means within the chamber for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber, while still maintaining the container connected to the exhausting means; means, actuated by atmospheric pressure outside the chamber, for bringing the last-mentioned sealing means into sealing position; means for controlling within a predetermined range the degree of vacuum within the chamber at which said atmospheric pressure actuated means will bring said sealing means into sealing position; a liquid reservoir; valve means connecting the reservoir to the container; means, at a certain stage of the cycle and actuable only when the last-mentioned sealing means are in sealing position, to operate said valve means; and means, at a substantially contemvacuo, the combination of: a vacuum chamber; means for closing the chamber from the atmosphere; exhausting means; means for connecting the exhausting means to the chamber and to a container within the chamber; and pressure responsive means, responsive to the attainment of a predetermined degree of vacuum within the chamber, for sealing the exhausting means from the chamber, while leaving the exhausting means connected to the container.

19. Means for imparting linear motion through the wall of a chamber, which means comprises: an annular well, defined by an inner hollow wall and an outer wall, to contain a sealing liquid, and carried by the wall of the chamber; a hollow piston, projecting intothe well from above, embracing the inner wall of the well, and having a close slip fit with one of the walls of the well; and a rod projecting from below into the inner hollow wall of the well, and engaging the piston,

whereby inward linear movement of either can be converted into outward linear movement of the other.

20. Means for imparting linear motion through the wall of a chamber, which means comprises: a vertical cylinder, inthe wall of the chamber, open at the top; a hollow element extending upwardly within the cylinder from the bottom portion thereof, and rigid therewith, so as to form an annular well between these two elements to contain a sealing liquid; a hollow piston open 

